Auralee Wallacehttps://auraleewallace.wordpress.com
Mon, 16 Oct 2017 21:50:41 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngAuralee Wallacehttps://auraleewallace.wordpress.com
Five Things I’m giving up for a week in honor of Mental Health Monthhttps://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/five-things-im-giving-up-for-a-week-in-honor-of-mental-health-month/
https://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/five-things-im-giving-up-for-a-week-in-honor-of-mental-health-month/#respondWed, 04 May 2016 15:00:36 +0000http://auraleewallace.com/?p=1031]]>CNN. I only started watching CNN about six months ago after I switched cable providers. It was the default channel that popped up whenever I turned my TV on. My poor Canadian brain was not equipped to handle the bombardment of this 24/7, reality TV,game show with its end-of-the-world Donald Trump stakes. There is no Canadian equivalent to CNN. It’s like comparing a cup of tea to heroin…I think. I’ve never tried tea.

Hahaha. Sorry. Old school joke. Sigh.

( Disclaimer: To the Social Justice Warriors, I apologize for making light of heroin. Please put down your steely knives. I promise to say 100 Bernie Sanders before bed tonight.)

TMZ, Radar Online, and All Other Gossip Websites. I almost didn’t write this one down because I was too embarrassed to admit to my daily Kardashian butt-looking habit, but let’s face it, half the world has fallen into the butt-trap with me, so I’m in good-ish company. That being said, I’ve thought about it, and I don’t think this ritual is making me a better person, so I’m going to let it go for this week.

Fingers crossed Bey and Jay Z work it out…or at least don’t get divorced until I’m back.

Twitter. I’m a skulker on Twitter. I admit it. I poke my head in, on a near daily basis, to watch the epic battles of the righteously enraged unfold. I do this mainly because I get torn up about all the little decisions in life, like which flavor of yogurt to eat for my morning snack, so I find all of these people so sure in their opinions compelling to say the least. That being said, I’m pretty sure all this virtual yelling is not good for my soul, so I’m willing to try life without it.

Goodreads. For me, Goodreads is a house with a 1000 doors. Sometimes I turn the knob to find a sunlit pasture filled with rainbows and unicorns…and blue birds holding up a banner with my name painted across it. Other times I stumble upon a torture chamber with readers tearing apart my heart and devouring it like a roast chicken, my words dribbling down their greasy chins. (Disclaimer: I know Goodreads is a reader-space not a writer-space, so I shouldn’t even be commenting on it. And like I said, you don’t even have to worry about it because I’m going…I said I’m going already! Jeez, you don’t have to push me out the door…)

All joking aside, though, I’m interested to see what this one does for my creativity. It’s hard to write when you’re worried about how each word will be received.

Facebook. This is a funny one because I don’t quite understand why I still visit Facebook. Seriously, most everybody has already packed up and gone home, and the majority of my feed is comprised of ads. And yet I do keep going back…like a tired old workhorse walking his route. Not this week, though.

And there you have it.

So how will I fill up all my extra time? Maybe I’ll write the Sidekick in the City short stories I’ve been thinking about.(Bremy, I just can’t quit you). Or maybe I’ll sketch out that Otter Lake Mystery novella with Erica and Freddie back in high school. Or maybe I’ll just go outside and see what all those birds are twittering about. You never know.

Here’s to you Mental Health Month!

]]>https://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/five-things-im-giving-up-for-a-week-in-honor-of-mental-health-month/feed/0auraleewallaceSo you don’t like Quinoa. Well, have I got a recipe for you!https://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2016/04/10/so-you-dont-like-quinoa-well-have-i-got-a-recipe-for-you/
https://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2016/04/10/so-you-dont-like-quinoa-well-have-i-got-a-recipe-for-you/#respondSun, 10 Apr 2016 14:52:56 +0000http://auraleewallace.com/?p=883]]>First things first, you may be thinking, Why, Auralee? Why would I want to eat quinoa? Why would you want to eat quinoa? It’s weird. Yes, yes it is, but it is also one of those super-food, ancient grain, complete protein, staple thingies. Something that is pretty important if you’re a vegan.

Now, you’re thinking, My God, Auralee, are you a vegan? I thought you were so normal. I thought you saved the veganism for the wingy mother character in your books? (That’s what you were thinking, right? No…? Okay, so eating quinoa doesn’t make you a mind-reader after all? I’ll cross that off the benefits’ list.) But, as it turns out, I am not a vegan. I have been in the past, a couple of times, and I do still flirt with the dirty, green side…and it is dirty. (Seriously, I know hardcore earthy types who like a little dirt in their veggies. B vitamins. True fact. I do not endorse this, however. Especially if you grow your own veggies and have dogs…or cats…or birds flying overhead.) I still do use a lot of vegan recipes, though, and Alicia Silverstone says it’s totally okay for me to just hold hands with veganism, and, really, if the actress who played the lead role in 90s classic film, Clueless, says it’s okay for me to do this, then it’s okay, dammit! Sigh. I feel judged. By both sides. Anyway…onto the recipe!

Okay, so before we really get started, I think that maybe I should temper your expectations just a bit. I can’t turn quinoa into some chocolately, syrupy, outrageously delightful type concoction that deserves to have the word orgasm in the name – only unicorn-wizards can do that – but I can make it totally palatable.

Excited?

Mmmm, I know I am.

SUPER EASY “SHUT UP, IT’S GOOD FOR YOU” BREAKFAST QUINOA

Serves maybe 2-4 (I don’t make a lot of it because it doesn’t last in the fridge past a few days, and my kids still think it’s weird. My husband always says, Make enough for me, but he never eats it, and we’re not making throw away quinoa money. That’s like Oprah money. Seriously, quinoa’s not cheap.)

3/4 cups quinoa grains

2 chopped tart apples (I like Granny Smith)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (more if you can take it, baby)

1 3/4 cups water

Maple syrup (maybe)

Okay, so dump all of these ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I’m not sure if you are really supposed to cover it or not, so I leave the lid askew and that seems to work for me.) Turn off the heat then let it sit for fifteen, twenty minutes.

Now, here comes the important part. Toppings. Now, that I’ve been doing this for awhile, all I put on my quinoa is sweetened almond milk. (Some of you are probably thinking, Huh, why doesn’t she use unsweetened almond milk? To which I say, Why do you want me to be so sad? I thought we were friends.) BUT, if you’ve never eaten quinoa before, or you have and think it’s gross, I recommend putting some maple syrup on top. Really, maple syrup can make anything taste good, and, as time goes on, and you get used to the beauty of the quinoa, you probably won’t need it anymore.

That’s it. That’s all.

Chase thinks it’s awesome. (The pot is cool. I shouldn’t have to say that, but I don’t want any melted Chases on my conscience.)

(I was going to put this in a fancy bowl for you, but I’m not going to eat it right now, and I have 3 kids, so, really, we have enough dishes to do.)

I have spent a good portion of my life trying to find ways not to offend people. What can I say? I am a slightly introverted, slightly anxious, writerly type. I will admit, however, this can, at times, be problematic and time consuming. When I was teaching College English, I would find myself writing paragraph after paragraph in the comments on a student’s essay to break the news to said student that the paper would be receiving a “C”. In turn, the student would often look at the grade, not read the comments, and say something like, Meh.

Now that I’ve switched careers, this quirk of mine has raised its angsty head in a number of new areas. Including, as I’m sure you have gleaned by now, in that tricky, tricky area of when to thank reviewers. I read this post from Carina Press, and the comments left me even more confused.

I mean, I get that you don’t want authors intruding in a reviewer’s space. Believe me, I do NOT want to be that awkward teenager that walks up to a group of another teens who are happily chatting and say, Hey guys, only to have the entire conversation go dead. I mean, heh heh, I’ve kind of been there, done that. But sometimes you really want to tell reviewers that, you know, their words made you weep tears of happy, happy joy. Is that so wrong? Are there circumstances where author/reviewer love is not forbidden? If the reviewer tags you by social media? Maybe then? Or does that still limit their freedom to hate your next book?

When murder strikes in the Tunnel of Love, Erica Bloom has to rock the boat to catch a killer…

For a small town like Otter Lake, New Hampshire, the annual Fall Festival is a big deal: a Ferris wheel, corn maze, caramel apples and pumpkin pies―even a Tunnel of Love. Back in her hometown, Erica Bloom is trying to enjoy herself, which includes getting better acquainted with Sheriff Grady Forrester. But when a swan boat sails out of the heart-shaped exit of the tunnel with a dead man slumped over a wing, her own romance will have to take a backseat.

PUMPKIN PICKING WITH MURDER
Speaking of love affairs, the other passenger in the boat―and only witness to the elderly Mr. Masterson’s swan song―is not his wife. It’s Erica’s beloved and feisty “aunt,” Tweety, who quickly becomes the prime suspect. Vowing to clear Tweety, Erica teams up with her sassy BFF and self-appointed security expert Freddie Ng to solve the murder―despite the objections of Grady, who’s convinced the amateurs are going overboard in their investigation. And he just may be right. But as Erica and Freddie start to dredge up long-kept small-town secrets, will they heading straight into troubled waters?

It’s been a long time since Erica Bloom has returned to her hometown of Otter Lake—maybe since the very night she left. She didn’t really mean to stay away; it’s just that her life as Chicago Erica, the stenographer, has been so much more normal than her childhood growing up the daughter of the town’s only hippie: Summer, owner of the women’s retreat center Earth, Moon, and Stars. But her mother has demanded that Erica return to help with something she refuses to discuss over the phone. When Erica arrives and hears her mother’s plans to pass Erica off as the retreat’s resident psychologist, she wants to send her mother in for counseling, since one course does not a doctorate make. As if that’s not bad enough, Erica keeps having run-ins with Grady Forrester, the boy-turned-man who ran her out of town after a clothes-stealing skinny-dipping incident. Maybe she’s having the run-ins with Grady just because he’s the local sheriff and Erica is the prime suspect in his newest murder case, but she’d rather think it’s because he finds her irresistible, not just suspicious. Among the nutty characters Wallace (Sidekick Returns, 2015, etc.) presents, the big charmer is Grady’s partner, Rhonda, whose questioning of Erica always leads to the same question: why can’t they be friends?

Time spent with the folks in Otter Lake is well worthwhile, with writing that is witty, contemporary, and winning.”

My thoughts:

]]>https://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/kirkus-review-skinny-dipping-with-murder/feed/3auraleewallaceSKINNY DIPPING COVERdancing 4Officially Old: Arguing over Music in the Mini-vanhttps://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2015/11/30/officially-old-arguing-over-music-in-the-mini-van/
https://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2015/11/30/officially-old-arguing-over-music-in-the-mini-van/#respondMon, 30 Nov 2015 18:41:26 +0000http://auraleewallace.com/?p=637]]>Have you ever been just driving along in your car, not thinking much of anything, just going about your day, when all of the sudden the radio begins to play one epic song after another? It’s glorious right? Like a gift from the Gods.

Well, that happened to me yesterday morning on my second trip to the hardware store to return a portion of my Christmas lights (I went 4 times! But that’s another story). There was just one little problem.

I had my kids in the car.

This is my non-official transcript of the drive.

Scene: I had just flipped stations, and what do I hear? A flute? The gently strumming of a guitar…it couldn’t be…could it?

Me: Oh! Everyone stop talking immediately. It’s Fernando!

7 year old: Who’s Fernando?

9 year old (with audible eye roll – seriously, I can hear it): Here we go.

Me: Who’s Fernando? Who’s Fernando! I have obviously failed you in your music edu–(I had to cut myself off to sing obviously)

Me (talking hurriedly so as not to miss my singalong with the falsetto): It’s about a young man feeling like he’s a creep and a weirdo and not worthy of a beautiful girl – you know, kind of like Phantom of the Opera.

Bremy St James is back in a brand new adventure, mixing chaos, humour, sex, and superheroes in this fresh, funny, flirty series. It’s the superhero romance you didn’t know you needed…

Fresh off thwarting the crime of the century, Bremy St. James is back and more determined than ever to fight by the side of the city’s top superhero, Dark Ryder. There’s just one problem: Dark Ryder’s disappeared.

To make matters worse, Bremy’s evil billionaire father, Atticus, is taking her lack of family loyalty verypersonally, and Bremy’s last tie to her old life, her reason behind her choices – her sister – is distancing herself as well.

With Atticus plotting revenge and Dark Ryder missing in action, Bremy has to make a choice: flee the city and leave her problems behind, or stay and make her dreams of superheroism a reality all on her own.

Who knew being awesome would be so hard?

Note: Escape is updating their NetGalley lists, and is looking to connect with reviewers and bloggers each month who might be interested in reviewing Escape titles.

If you’re interested in joining the list of reviewers, please email kcuthbert@eharlequin.com.au with your name, where you blog/review, and the email your NetGalley account is associated with.

]]>https://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/sidekick-makeover/feed/0auraleewallaceSidekickSeptember Goal Results!!!https://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/september-goal-results/
https://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/september-goal-results/#respondSun, 04 Oct 2015 12:43:35 +0000http://auraleewallace.com/?p=599]]>Okay, so I didn’t exactly achieve perfection. In fact, a lot of days went like this:

That being said, more than a few days were like this:

So let’s get to it.

21 Day Fix Results: Okay, so I started late, and I didn’t exactly follow the diet the first week, okay, fine, maybe the first two weeks, but I hit every workout, and I now wear the smug smile of “The Have-Exercised.”

As for the program itself, I kind of love it (Don’t get me wrong. I swear from beginning to end while I am doing the workouts, but I still kind of love it.) I’m switching to THE BEAST next. I still haven’t reached Serena Williams of the soccer field status, but it’s coming. This will be me soon…just with less screaming maybe.

Meditation: Well, it turns out 20 minutes a day was a little beyond my reach. 5 minutes, however, well, that’s my sweet spot.

Has it changed my life? Not yet. But I’m planning on keeping it up.

Writing: Oh ho, that’s the best part. Most writers are aware of the plotter vs. pantser dilemma. Well, I’ve figured it all out – for me at least. But that’s for another post.

That’s all for now.

Bring on OCTOBER!

Afterthought: Oh! And I am debating posting before and after pics. On the one hand, I love looking at before and after pics of workout programs. On the other hand, it seems weird. Like it’s all, “Look at me! In a…bikini?” Sure thing Kim Kardashian. ‘Cause that’s normal behavior. I will ponder…

]]>https://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/september-goal-results/feed/0auraleewallaceemmy and meim_a_god_groundhog_dayThe beastPart Six of My *Very Personal* Journey to Publication: Are you a REAL writer? Fighting Impostor Syndromehttps://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2015/09/29/part-six-of-my-very-personal-journey-to-publication-are-you-a-real-writer-fighting-impostor-syndrome/
https://auraleewallace.wordpress.com/2015/09/29/part-six-of-my-very-personal-journey-to-publication-are-you-a-real-writer-fighting-impostor-syndrome/#respondTue, 29 Sep 2015 18:01:45 +0000http://auraleewallace.com/?p=592]]>In the years before I became a published author, I spent many an hour scouring authors’ webpages trying to figure out how they accomplished the seemingly impossible task of getting published. While no one journey in particular held the magic answer for me, I did learn a great deal from reading those experiences. As a result, I thought I would share my own history in a series of posts. As I mentioned in the title, these are my VERY PERSONAL experiences. I am in no way trying to argue that there is one right way to do things.

So I bought three more books on writer’s craft today. Does that surprise you?

Behold my desk as it stands this very moment.

Messy I know. This sampling represents a tenth, twentieth, maybe even thirtieth of the books I own on writer’s craft. (I know there’s some fiction in there too – but stay with me). I thought about my collection today as I read an article about Impostor Syndrome (Why You Feel Like a Fraud And How to Overcome It). It had some pretty interesting research in it. Give it a read if you have a second. The point that stuck with me is that one of the ways to battle Impostor Syndrome is to focus on learning not perfection. I think this is why I love the books on writer’s craft so much. They offer the hope that with hard work I can improve my skills. I can continually get better at the thing I love. This a good, creative place to be.

I can tell you of the three books I have written so far that are now out of my hands (published or in the process), there are things I would change about each and every one of them. BUT if I waited until I was completely satisfied, they would never get out there.

If you are a writer who is waiting for the moment when you feel like you’ve magically transitioned into a REAL writer in order to get your work out there (whether it be to contests, agents, publishers or just a friend), let me humbly suggest that that particular moment is probably not going to come – AND while you wait, you are missing out on valuable feedback.

Take it from me. I thought when I won my first contest I would feel as though I arrived. Nope. Didn’t happen. How’s about when I got my first ebook deal? Nope…not yet. My agent? No…still not there. Three-book deal? Funny…but no. You see, I could always push the “arrival” destination back or away. After all, I don’t have a proven sales record yet. And what is that sales record? Do I need to be a bestseller before I consider myself legit? And what then? Do all the critics have to like me? Methinks the destination is a mirage.

Okay so this may all feel a little…

But I still have moments when I battle with the REAL writer phenomenon and I have found these tips help – so take from it what you will!